Kitchen Remodeling: 6 Mistakes to Avoid

If you’re considering remodeling your kitchen, you probably know the basics of what to do to prepare: hire great contractors, design something that’s perfect for how you use the kitchen, decide on what type of counters, appliances, flooring, etc. that you want. There are some things that are a bit less expected, though, and if you’re not careful can cost you a lot of money or cause you heartache or inconvenience. If you are going to go custom, hiring the best company is paramount to your kitchen and bath remodels success. When preparing to renovate and remodel your kitchen, be sure to avoid these six big mistakes.

1) Not Considering How You Work in the Kitchen

Do you like to spread out when you cook? If so, counter space is a must—you may even want to consider putting in a kitchen island. Likewise, if you prefer to entertain within the kitchen as you cook, adding in island seating can be beneficial. Many people design remodeling jobs based on what they want the kitchen to look like but forget to take into account how they use the space. Cabinets that reach near the ceiling can look great, but unless you’re very tall or have a stepstool nearby at all times, they can be a real hassle. Take into account how you work within the room when you are designing the remodel.

2) Designing Based on Trends

You might want lime green cabinets now, but in 5 years, will you still love them or will they be the thorn in your side? It can be fun to design your kitchen remodel based on what you love right now, but it’s important to think about the future of your home, as well. If you want all stainless steel appliances, make sure you’ll be okay wiping them down every day, since fingerprints show very easily on stainless steel, especially if you have little ones. Make sure you plan ahead when you choose the new look and feel for your kitchen—so that it works not only today, but a few years from now as well.

3) Letting the Contractor Convince You to Do Something You Don’t Like

If you like ceramic tile, don’t let the contractor sway you toward hardwood. Likewise, if you want wood cabinets, don’t let anyone talk you into getting glass-front models. Remember to make sure that the finished design will work for you aesthetically as well as functionally. If you’ve got a vision, it’s okay to listen to suggestions, but make sure that the finished project will be something you love—not something someone else loves.

4) Not Listening to the Experts

Though you should have a lot of say when it comes to your remodeling project, it’s important to listen to the experts if they’re telling you something won’t work, won’t be durable enough for your needs, or will not function the way you need it to. If you’re adamant about something being installed or designed in a certain way despite your contractors warning you against it, you could find yourself needing to replace things or hating the end product when you start realizing that the contractor was right about something. Be sure to listen to their advice—they do this for a living and can steer you away from making a huge mistake.

5) Cutting Corners in Order to Save a Little Money

Remodeling work is expensive—there’s no real way around that. In order to get quality work done, you need to plan ahead and save money to ensure that you don’t have to cut corners and end up with poor quality work. It’s one thing to plan a budget and stick to it, but it’s another thing entirely to run out of money before the project is done and have to opt for cheaper materials that aren’t as high quality. Planning, planning and more planning will help you avoid this issue and help you stay on budget, as well.

6) Make Sure the Materials Look Good In Your Home Before Committing

Many homeowners choose materials, finishes and colors based on what they look like in a showroom. Colors of cabinets, textures of floors, and subtleties of certain materials can look vastly different under the fluorescent lighting in a showroom than they do in your own kitchen. Before you commit to a certain kind of cabinet or other fixture, be sure to see what a sample looks like in the lighting you have in your kitchen (or the lighting you’ll be installing) as well as how it reacts with natural light from your home’s windows.
Executing a successful kitchen remodel can be stressful and complicated, but when you know how to avoid some of the bigger mistakes, you’re more likely to love the outcome.